Part 1: The PMC

In 2002 I rode in the Pan Mass Challenge (a truly incredible event I would recommend to anyone who has felt the impact of cancer) in memory of my fathers 10 year anniversary of succumbing to cancer. And since then I have always wanted to ride in that event again. My problem has been that I don't like asking others for money and coming up with $4000+ dollars can be difficult. But the feeling of accomplishment and sacrifice as well as the memories have stayed with me and will always be with me. Seeing a child holding a sign saying "I have cancer, thank you for riding", will just blow you away.

Part 2: Epilepsy

On the morning of January 17 2004, I woke up early with the kids like any typical morning. My daughter Erin sat down in her lion chair and almost immediately, her whole body tenses up and she starts convulsing. She was having a grand mal seizure in front of me. I had no idea what I was witnessing. No idea what to do. No idea how to react. Do I put something in her mouth (absolutely not I found out later). How do I stop what is happening to her (you can't). I was so distraught my wife heard me yelling and had the presence of mind to call 911. For a second time in my life I was left lacking when it came to helping a family member (the first time being when my father was dying with cancer). She was later diagnosed with Epilepsy and we have been dealing with this at different levels ever since. She is doing well with medication but damn I wish I new the root cause of this thing. I wish anyone did.

Part 3: The First Ride

A friend, Arthur, whom I met at work has been bugging me about riding ever since he helped me buy the bike I rode in the PMC. "Closing in on 3000 miles this year, how about you Don?". I like riding but I need a goal to motivate me. So I started thinking. "Why don't I start my own charity ride? I will ride to raise awareness of Epilepsy [Foundation]". What Epilepsy is and what it is not. So that was the impetus for my first ride. Not going to ask for money just raise awareness for Epilepsy. Actually I did not tell anyone, other than my wife Kim, why I wanted to ride my bicycle close to a 100 miles from our home to a beach I have been going to since I was 5 years old.

And so, to myself and Kim at least, I called my first ride the Epilepsy Awareness Ride. I recruited Arthur and his wife joined to participate in my first ride. Of course I did not tell them my true intent. Just offered a good ride, a barbecue and a ride home at the end of the day. Big Success!!

After the ride I told them of my intentions to make this an annual ride for charity. Arthur's mind immediately started turning and he suggested calling it the Beach Ride because we rode along many miles of coastline and great beaches.

Part 4: It All Comes Together

After the first ride when we were kicking around names for the ride I became aware of another friends father dying of cancer. It was at this point that I thought, "I have my reasons for riding, Epilepsy awareness, but others have their own reasons for riding which may differ than mine. So why limit the ride to one charity or one cause. Open it up."

At this same point yet another friend was interested in the idea but was reluctant to participate in a long ride. So it struck me, if the cause is open then so should the route be.

So there you have it. The Beach Ride. My ride is on the second Saturday after Labor Day. It starts at my home where my families journey with Epilepsy began and finishes about a 100 miles away near a beautiful beach. At some point I will publish my route and recruit more people to it but in the mean time. Pick your own route, just include a beach in there some where. Ride for your own reasons. Come up with an acronym for your ride using the letters B E A C H. And when you are out riding on the Second Saturday after Labor day and you pass someone (or are passed which is more likely the case for me), be sure to ask your fellow cyclists,

"Why Do You Ride!".